Food preparation appliance with multi-part attachment part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12329324-B2
Application number	US-202217847844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2022
Priority date	Jul 14, 2021
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A food preparation appliance includes a food preparation vessel, a lid, an attachment part, a locking device, and a plurality of sensors. The lid may be placed on the food preparation vessel. The attachment part may be placed on the food preparation vessel instead of the lid. The locking device is for locking the lid placed on the food preparation vessel and for locking the attachment part placed on the food preparation vessel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A food preparation appliance comprising:
a food preparation vessel;
a lid which can be placed on the food preparation vessel;
an attachment part which can be placed on the food preparation vessel instead of the lid, the attachment part comprising a first part and a second part;
a base part for receiving the food preparation vessel, the base part comprising a locking device for locking the lid placed on the food preparation vessel and for locking the attachment part placed on the food preparation vessel, wherein, in a locked state, the lid or the attachment part which has been locked to the food preparation vessel cannot be removed from the food preparation vessel; and
a sensor which is triggered when the placed lid is locked by the locking device or when the placed attachment part is locked by the locking device, wherein the sensor is not triggered when only one part of the attachment part is placed on the food preparation vessel and locked, and
wherein the sensor includes an electrical switch with a rocker arm on which the attachment part rests when the attachment part is placed on the food preparation vessel.

2. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the locking device is such that the attachment part in the placed state is moved by the locking from an initial position to an end position, and the sensor is triggered when the attachment part is in the end position.

3. The food preparation appliance of claim 2 , wherein the locking device is such that the first part of the attachment part is moved from the initial position to the end position by the locking, and the first part is such that it moves the second part of the attachment part from the initial position to the end position by the locking, and the second part is such that it has triggered the sensor when the second part is in its end position.

4. The food preparation appliance of claim 3 , wherein the second part is a container and the first part is a cover for the container.

5. The food preparation appliance of claim 4 , wherein the container has on its upper side, at least in sections, a laterally projecting edge.

6. The food preparation appliance of claim 5 , wherein the sensor is triggered by the projecting edge of the container.

7. The food preparation appliance of claim 4 , wherein the container comprises on its upper side at least one upwardly and/or laterally projecting handle.

8. The food preparation appliance of claim 4 , wherein the attachment part includes a rotatable chopping tool for chopping foods, and wherein the chopping tool is arranged or arrangeable relative to the container such that a food, after being chopped by means of the chopping tool, falls down by gravity to be collected in the container of the attachment part.

9. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the attachment part is located between two locking elements of the locking device when the attachment part is placed on the food preparation vessel.

10. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein a locking element of the locking device is an arm rotatable about its longitudinal axis, wherein the arm can be rotated from an open position to a locking position and back, and wherein the rotatable arm is rotated by an electric drive of the food preparation appliance.

11. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable mixing tool for mixing and/or chopping a food in a bottom region of the food preparation vessel, a control unit configured to set the rotational speed for the mixing tool, wherein the control unit is configured to set the rotational speed of the mixing tool at one of at least 2000 revolutions per minute, at least 5000 revolutions per minute, and at least 8000 revolutions per minute.

12. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the attachment part comprises a container and a cover for the container, wherein the cover is configured to be inserted into an opening of a handle of the container when the cover covers the container, and wherein the container comprises a laterally projecting upper edge.

13. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the attachment part is a chopping tool.

14. A method for chopping a food using a food preparation appliance, wherein the food preparation appliance includes:
a food preparation vessel,
a lid which can be placed on the food preparation vessel,
an attachment part which can be placed on the food preparation vessel instead of the lid, the attachment part comprising a first part and a second part,
a base part for receiving the food preparation vessel, the base part comprising a locking device for locking the lid placed on the food preparation vessel and for locking the attachment part placed on the food preparation vessel, wherein, in a locked state, the lid or the attachment part cannot be removed from the food preparation vessel,
a sensor including an electrical switch with a rocker arm on which the attachment part rests when the attachment part is placed on the food preparation vessel,
the method comprising:
placing the lid or the attachment part on the food preparation vessel of the food preparation appliance;
locking, after placing, the lid or the attachment part to the food preparation vessel;
triggering the sensor when the lid is locked to the food preparation vessel;
not triggering the sensor when only one of the parts of the attachment part is locked to the food preparation vessel;
triggering the sensor when both the first part and the second part of the attachment part are locked to the food preparation vessel; and
chopping a food using the locked attachment part after the sensor has been triggered.

15. A food preparation appliance comprising:
a food preparation vessel;
a lid which can be placed on the food preparation vessel;
an attachment part placeable on the food preparation vessel instead of the lid, the attachment part including a first part and a second part and configured to chop or blend a food in the food preparation vessel;
a base part for receiving the food preparation vessel, the base part comprising a locking device for locking the lid placed on the food preparation vessel and for locking the attachment part placed on the food preparation vessel, wherein, in a locked state, the lid or the attachment part which has been locked to the food preparation vessel cannot be removed from the food preparation vessel; and
a sensor configured to
permit activating the attachment part, in response to both the first part and the second part of the attachment part being placed on the food preparation vessel and locked, and
prevent activating the attachment part, in response to only one of the first part and the second part of the attachment part being placed on the food preparation vessel and locked,
wherein the sensor includes an electrical switch with a rocker arm on which the attachment part rests when the attachment part is placed on the food preparation vessel.

Assignees

• Vorwerk Co Interholding

Inventors

• Heynen Andreas
• Landsecker Kai
• Starflinger Frank
• Charopoulos Philipp
• Wojke Sigurd

Classifications

• A47J43/0722

  Mixing, whipping or cutting tools · CPC title

• A47J43/06

  with a plurality of interchangeable working units {, e.g. with a single driving-unit} · CPC title

• A47J43/046

  with tools driven from the bottom side · CPC title

• A47J43/0772

  activated by the proper positioning of the cover · CPC title

• A47J43/0783

  activated by the proper positioning of a separate food chute on the cover · CPC title